The Psychology of Pregame Preparation
Pregame Isn’t Just Physical—It’s Mental
Pregame preparation is more than stretching and warming up. It’s about shifting into the right mindset, building focus, and creating a sense of stability. A clear, practiced pre-game routine gives your athletes something familiar to fall back on when things inevitably go wrong on game day. It brings calm and confidence to what can otherwise be a chaotic environment.
One of the most powerful benefits of practicing your pre-game routine is the autonomy it gives your players. When they know what’s expected of them and can carry out the warm-up without being micromanaged, something special happens—they feel trusted. That trust encourages responsibility and ownership, two qualities that will serve them well both on and off the field.
How Pregame Routine Predicts Game Performance
When I coached varsity football in Dallas, Texas (where, yes, football is a religion), I developed a habit of watching how the other team warmed up. I could predict the game's outcome with almost 100% accuracy by observing their warm-up.
It wasn’t about the complexity of their stretches or how many fancy drills they were doing. What mattered was the athletes' attention to detail and sense of purpose.
Teams that knew exactly where they were supposed to be and moved with focus and intent during warm-ups were almost always more disciplined and prepared once the game started.
You could see it in how they lined up—every movement had intention. They didn’t need to be yelled at or redirected. Their stretches weren’t half-hearted; they took them seriously, and that seriousness carried over into how they played.
On the flip side, when a team looked confused or lacked energy during warm-ups—players wandering around, unsure of where to go, joking or slacking off—it was almost guaranteed that they’d play undisciplined, sloppy football.
The Warm-Up Reflects the Culture
Pregame routines are a mirror of your team’s culture. If your athletes take the warm-up seriously, it shows they value preparation and take pride in readiness. If it’s chaotic and unorganized, that will bleed into their performance on the field.
This doesn’t mean you have to run a military-style warm-up with rigid drills and commands. It’s about teaching your athletes to respect the process. When they understand that warm-up is part of their preparation—not just something to get through—they develop a level of discipline that translates into everything they do.
Pro Tip: Use warm-up time to observe your athletes’ energy and focus. It’s a great way to gauge their mindset for the day and make adjustments if needed.
A Calm, Disciplined Start Leads to a Strong Finish
Just like a well-planned practice, a structured pre-game routine sets the tone for everything that follows. When your athletes begin the game calm, focused, and confident, they’re much more likely to respond to adversity with resilience.
Warm-ups aren’t just a way to get the body moving—they’re a signal to your team: It’s time to lock in and get ready to compete. If you can instill that mindset during pregame, your team will take the field prepared to give their best effort, every time.
The game is often won or lost long before the opening whistle. And it all starts with how you warm up.
Game Day Tips for Coaches
Be the calm in the storm. Your energy sets the tone. Stay composed no matter what happens.
Trust your routine. If you’ve practiced pre-game, the kids will know what to do even if you’re pulled away to handle a last-minute issue.
Adapt and adjust. No game day goes exactly as planned. Be ready to roll with it and keep the focus on what matters—effort, teamwork, and having fun.
Game day is showtime, but it should never feel like a circus. With some planning and preparation, your team can walk onto the field feeling calm, confident, and ready to compete. And that makes all the difference.
